The 2018 - 2019 Season

The 15th season of mini rugby at Copley starts on Sunday 2nd September with signing on and new player registration throughout September. Fitness and skill training sessions run each Sunday in September and the first competitive game is on 30th September at home to Bradford Salem. Check with your coaches to see when your age group are playing at home or away. Lets hope we have another great season of fun and enjoyable rugby.

This season the mini section are running Under 5/6's, under 7's, under 8's, under 9's, under 10's, under 11 and under 12's sides. We still need more players to a build all our squads. If you have a friend who is interested in playing bring them along for some taster sessions

Any new players from under 5 through to under 12 who would like to play mini rugby are very welcome to come down to Copley on a Sunday morning 10am-Noon when they are at home or you can contact

All parents please call into the clubhouse while the training session/games are running to complete signing on your child for the 2018-19 season.
Parents of new pleyers also call in to complete new player forms.
PLEASE NOTE SUBS ARE NOW DUE

Clothing and dirty kit
If the weather turns cool and wet bring plenty of clothes for your children
Idealy you need a woolly hat and rugby mits plus woollen gloves over your mits while not playing.
A T shirt under your rugby shirt and a track suit top or fleece over your shirt when not playing.
Track suit bottoms or black leggings/tights to keep your legs warm
We stock hats gloves track suit tops and bottoms

Parents please bring a drinks bottle for your child. Use water or a flavoured cordial drink. Please no fizzy drinks.
Also PLEASE bring some clean/dry clothing to change into or put over your dirty kit when coming into the clubhouse after a game. We have a new clubhouse used by others for functions lets keep it clean for them.
If your child is old enough to have a shower on their own make sure they bring a towel and change of clothes we have now increased number of changing rooms from 4 to 9.

HAVE YOU SIGNED ON FOR 2017-18 SEASON
If you have not signed on for 2017-18 membership as an existing player please see your coach, parent co-ordinator or Dave Butler to sign on for the season. This is a simple process. You need to check if the details on your membership form for last season have changed, record any changes on line with Dave Butler. Membership fees will be due for those who pay by cash or cheque and not on standing ordedr

NEW PLAYERS NEED TO BE REGISTERED TO PLAY MATCHES
Any new players/parents need to come into the clubhouse and complete a registration process. Ask for Dave Butler.

BOOT and KIT EXCHANGE BANK
We have introduced a boot and kit exchange facility on Sunday mornings.
It operates by bringing your old boots (please clean them )and kit in a polythene bag a
and hand them to Warren who will arrange for you to swap for a larger pair if available.
Any donations are gratefully accepted for the swap and go into the junior development coffers

If the weather turns very cold or the pitches are frozen or waterlogged we use the Rishworth School Sports Hall for the under 5s and under 6s)
From the Copley clubhouse drive up to the main road
Left at the Volunteer Arms traffic lights
Follow road into Sowerby Bridge
At end of Wakefield Road left at the junction and drive through Sowerby Bridge
Stay on the A58 into Ripponden
In Ripponden Keep left at the fork in road controlled by traffic lights taking the A672 Oldham Road
In just under a mile you come to Rishworth School on your right
Park on main road or turn right up Shaw Lane although its narrow for parking.
Sports Hall is on Shaw Lane just before main school entrance

Directions to Hollas Lane.

If your walking from the club to Hollas Lane its best follow the canal tow path in wet weather.
If you do not fancy walking to Hollas Lane here are the directions if you prefer to drive there
From clubhouse turn left at lights by Volunteer Arms.
Continue along Wakefield Rd for approx 1 mile to next set of lights.
Turn left at the lights onto Hollas Lane.
Go over the canal bridge and turn immediate left down a slope into a parking area.
Access to the pitch is down a track by the canal tow path.

Cold Weather

When the weather turns cold please make sure your child has plenty of warm clothing. We suggest
a T shirt under the club shirt
a track suit top, showerproof top or fleece.(from club shop)
Track suit bottoms (from club shop)
or black tights/leggings
A woolly bobble hat (from club shop) or a protective headguard
Rugby mitts from club shop. Plus a pair of wool gloves over mitts when not playing
A towel and clean clothes to change into
See Dave Butler in the clubhouse on Sundays if you need any of the above kit items

How do I join?

If your child is interested in playing rugby or you as a parent would like to introduce your child to the game of rugby click on the following link for all the information on joining Rishworthians mini rugby.
How do I Join

Age Grade Rugby

Age Grade Rugby is the structured progression to cover the introduction, teaching, playing,
coaching and refereeing of the Game in stages from U6 to U18. An Age Grade Player means all male and female players participating in Age Grade Rugby from U6s to U18s. In legal terms, a child is anyone under the age of 18; for the purposes of this Guidance, Age Grade Players include 18 & 19 year olds playing for U18s teams. Throughout this document the
term “child” and “children” is used to refer to these players as well as “children and young people”; these terms are used to refer to the same group of individuals and are not mutually exclusive.

RFU Regulation 15 applies to schools and colleges as well as clubs. Every effort should be made to ensure that boys and girls get the best possible experience from being in a Rugby squad. Clubs, schools and colleges running Age Grade Rugby should formulate policies upon which good planning and sound team management
can be based.

Regulation 151, Regulation 9 and this supporting Guidance have been devised to assist in developing Age Grade Players safely. This Guidance aims to expand on these areas for greater understanding.
Age Gtade Guidance

Mini Rugby New rules of Play

Once players are recruited and committed to rugby at Rishworthians we must ensure they develop individually and as a squad through the RFU development pathway. This pathway guides players through a development path from mini non contact tag rugby under 6-8, to mini contact under 9-10, midi rugby under 11-12 then junior rugby under 13 -16. This development programme prepares them for colts rugby and ultimately senior rugby.

The RFU Continuum had been in place for 20 years and was considered to be forward thinking and innovative in 1990. However needs change and rugby is no different. The New Rules of Play , (NROP) sees a gradual introduction of new rules and small sided games whereby children are more involved with the ball and the rules are simplified producing more continuity and less start/stop.

The NROP starts at under 7 with 4 a side tag rugby and progresses to 6 a side tag rugby at under 8.
Contact rugby is introduced at under 9 with a 7 a side game and under 10 introduces the scrum and mini maul/ruck in an 8 a side game. Under 11s rugby allows the ball to be kicked and is an under 9 game.

The rules for u12 - u16 are at present the same but there are plans to simplify these rules in the near future.

For more detail on the New rules of play click on the following links.

Regulation 15 relates to youth rugby known as Age Grade rugby from the Under 6 (U6) to Under 18 (U18) age groups. This Regulation 15 applies to both genders up to and including U11s, from which point there are specific regulations applicable to girls’ rugby for the U12 to U18 age grades. Regulation 15 relates to playing, training and all variations of rugby permitted within the relevant age grade.
Regulation 15

Support your child - Get Involved

Even though we have 30 coaches we still need to enlist help on the day during the training session, running touch and so on. But as the numbers in the mini/junior section continues to grow we need more parents to help on the day.

If you'd like to help on a more formal basis let us know. We will also provide courses for you if you would like to become a coach or a referee.

In addition we are always looking for more people to help with the administration of the section. This could be writing match reports, helping with registration or helping to run the club shop. If you can help follow his link for more information or contact Dave Butler.
Get involved

Match reporters/photographers wanted

We always like to publish a match report and photographs on the website and the local paper, its a good source for player recruitment and the players like to see their name in the paper or on the website.

We need additional volunteers to help write up a match report for each age group. Ideally we require one person for each age group and a couple of additional people to cover for weeks when people are away or to work a rota system.

All we require are the try scorers, match award winners plus the squad list so everyone gets a mention in the local paper and on the web site. If you wish to add extra comments about the game so much the better. The reports can then be e-mailed to davebutler@orrufc.co.uk

What kit do I need from the Club Kit Shop

If you are coming along for the first time, you will need:
A T-shirt (warm weather)or T shirt and rugby shirts (for cold weather).
shorts and/or track suit bottoms.
a track suit top or fleece.
trainers or rugby/football boots.
a drink bottle with your name on it.

If you decide you want to continue, the following kit is essential

Club shirt, shorts and socks, Waterproof top/Fleece, rugby mitts (optional) from the club shop.
A mouthguard from under 9's upwards.
Football or rugby boots with metal studs
A dry change of clothes, towel and a boot bag for after the match unless you don't mind having a muddy car!

The following kit is optional. Some wear it, some don't.
Headguard,
shoulder pads or body armour.